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Home » Plant Based

Published: Apr 19, 2024 · Modified: Apr 28, 2025 by chhavi

Crispy Thai Tofu -Chilli Peanut Tofu

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Crispy Thai Tofu - Tofu sautéed in spicy peanut butter sauce with Thai flavors. VEasy high protein vegan weeknight dinner recipe.

Crispy thai tofu with peanut butter and chili sauce served over zucchini noodles

This recipe is all about getting the tofu and the sauce to a place just before burning. The trick is to crank up the heat and get the sauce to thicken and caramelize. Ah, those black & brown bits that stick to the tofu are PURE gold!

This crispy Thai tofu is so good that you will feel guilty eating it!!

And the sauce...oh, the sauce!

If only I could describe the sauce better, but let me try.

It's sweet, spicy, umami, salty, and slightly tangy...all simultaneously! That's what makes this Crispy Chilli Peanut Tofu dish so delicious!

If you like peanut butter, I swear you will fall in LOVE with this sauce! You will be in serious trouble of smearing this sauce on EVERYTHING! It's just THAT delicious!

I love this recipe because it's easy to make and packs in tonnes of protein. Like many others, I find it difficult to enjoy high-protein meals. A chicken and broccoli meal is just out of the question. Meals like this crispy tofu and spicy harissa tofu scramble, help me get my proteins in.

Ingredients needed

You will need

  • Tofu
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Thai red chili
  • Soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Lime Juice

Tofu

I like the texture of firm tofu the most.

Usually, tofu needs to be pressed before cooking it. If you eat tofu often enough, then you must look at investing in a tofu press. Pressing the tofu makes two things happen. One, it removes excess water from the tofu which makes the tofu absorb sauces better. Second, because of low moisture content, the tofu crisps up faster.

I don't always have the time to press the tofu, so I use it straight from the pack.

How to Make Crispy Chilli Peanut Tofu

Step 1: Make the Thai Peanut Sauce

First, you start with making the Thai peanut butter chilli sauce.

Whisk together the peanut butter, oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and honey. Add crushed ginger. If the peanut butter is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of hot water to loosen the sauce.

If you can't find fresh chilies, use sriracha or sambel olek. If nothing else, use red chili flakes.

Make this sauce in bulk so you can make crunchy Thai-inspired salads with it, too.

Sauteing tofu in the thai chili peanut butter sauce

Step 2: Saute the Tofu

This is the fun step where you caramelize and crispy up the tofu. On medium-high heat, add the tofu along with the sauce.

Saute till the sauce starts to thicken and a crust starts to form on the tofu.

Top with scallions and serve!

I have served the tofu with spiralized noodles but you can also serve it over other noodle dishes like this char kway teow.It's my favourite noodle dish and a standard order when I am visiting Singapore.

Expert Tips

  • Use extra firm tofu- anything else will crumble, resulting in a scramble. You want the tofu to be solid enough to toss around the pan.
  • Use a nonstick pan for this one. It will save time and effort and give you delicious crispy tofu!
  • Make a double batch of the sauce and serve it along or on top of some grilled chicken. It's super delicious!!
  • Homemade Peanut Butter- Did you know you can make peanut butter at home with just one ingredient - peanuts? Homemade peanut butter is so good! It's free of any preservatives, sugar, or any additives. You have got to try it!

Related

Here are some more Vegan recipes

  • Harissa Tofu Scramble -Vegan recipe
  • Instant Pot Vegan Chili
  • Date Snickers - Chocolate covered Stuffed Dates
  • Air Fried Caramelized Banana

Tried it? I’d love to know! Tag me or drop a comment below — your feedback totally makes my day.

Mention #yellowthyme or tag @yellowthyme on Instagram or follow me on Pinterest.


Crispy Thai Chili Peanut Tofu

5 from 3 votes
Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Chhavi

Ingredients 

  • 250 Grams Tofu Diced

Thai Peanut Butter Chili Sauce

  • 3 tablespoon Peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce or Tamari or coconut Aminos
  • 2 tablespoon Lime Juice Rice wine vinegar or Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Red chili finely chopped or sriracha Or any other chili sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Crushed or grated

Instructions

  • Add everything listed in the thai peanut sauce in a bowl.
  • Heat it on the stove for 1 minute on low. Whisk until it's completely smooth. Alternatively ,Microwave it for 30 seconds, mix, and set aside.
  • Heat a nonstick pan. Add the tofu along with the peanut butter and Chili sauce. Sauté it in the pan until the sauce evaporates and the tofu caramelizes.
  • Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 457mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg

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  • Air Fryer Roast Peanuts

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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